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The fall Cottonwood Art Festival, coming Oct. 5-6, 2013, to Richardson’s Cottonwood Park, features two new activities – Recyclable Art and Tile Treasures. At ArtStop – the interactive children’s area at Richardson’s Cottonwood Art Festival – what kids create, they can take. Tiny environmentalists will be repurposing found items, and mini-Monets and pint-size Picassos can decorate ceramic tiles.

Cottonwood, in collaboration with the Richardson Community Services Department, will have a new recycling activity for children. “Kids will have fun rolling strips of old magazines into beads and stringing them to make a hatband, necklace or bracelet. They always walk away from ArtStop with something to take home,” says Suzanne Etman, community events manager for the City of Richardson. “We will also have a display – one side of the board will have ideas for re-purposing recyclable items such as water bottles, paper egg cartons and newspapers. The other side will show non-recyclables like Styrofoam cups and egg cartons.”

“This is all very green, very retro. We’re showing kids what can and cannot be recycled, and what can instead be repurposed. Repurposed is the new goal to reduce the amount of trash that goes to the landfill – reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose. Going through kids is a way to reach the parents and share that message.”

Staffed by more than 100 volunteers, ArtStop creates a hands-on world of art with life-size paintbrushes and dozens of activities irresistible to any child. The wide array of art and craft activities allows children of all ages to express their creativity. Watch a brief video of Cottonwood Art Festival’s ArtStop below.

Crazy Cool Caps: Let the kids show off their personalities by creating their own over-the-top hat! There are plenty of ribbons, glitter, feathers, pompoms and foam shapes for all to use! Throwin’ Mud: It’s OK for kids to play in the mud at this station with the "Masta Potta, Mr. Kirby" as they learn to throw a pot on an electric potter's wheel. Canvas Classics: The theme this season is "Little Artsters." Kids will paint fun, adorable little one-eyed monsters on a real canvas while listening to the instructor's directions. Fancy Fingers: Kids can dip their hands into a rainbow of colored wax to make a lasting, colorful impression of their hand. Other ArtStop favorites include Chalkboard Easels (for young children), Chisel Away (kids chisel on a large block of plaster) and Magnetic Pieces (create a picture scene by adding magnets to large magnetic boards painted with backgrounds).

About Richardson’s Cottonwood Art Festival
Richardson’s bi-annual Cottonwood Art Festival, now in its 44th year, is a juried show. Jurors have selected more than 240 of the nation’s top visual artists from 1,400 submissions to exhibit their museum-quality work at the festival. The artists compete in 14 categories: 2D Mixed Media, 3D Mixed Media, Ceramics, Digital, Drawings/Pastels, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metalwork, Painting, Photography, Sculpture and Wood.

The festival is Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cottonwood Park is located at 1321 W. Belt Line Rd., one block east of Coit Road in Richardson, TX. Parking and admission are free. The artists’ works are available for purchase, as are food and beverages. Some children’s activities require a fee.

Cottonwood is more than just the art. The festival also features top local bands performing rock, country, jazz, blues, swing and folk. Check out the courtyard, sit in the shade by the lake, relax and enjoy the music. Food and spirits are also available in the courtyard.